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XMM-Newton telescope tests. Technician performing tests on the European Space Agency's (ESA's) X-ray Multi-Mirror telescope (XMM) satellite. This telescope, which was built and tested from March 1997 to September 1999, is undergoing structural and thermal testing before launch. The telescope is designed to study high-energy X-ray sources such as supernovae and black holes. The satellite contains three separate X-ray telescopes, and a smaller optical telescope to aid in data interpretation. The telescope was successfully launched in December 1999. The original mission lifetime of two years was later extended to 2010. Photographed at ESTEC, the Netherlands.